Vault light, floor light, or skylight



Jan. 8, 1935. w, MULFQQD 1,987,490

VAULT LIGHT, FLOOR LIGHT, OR SKYLIGHT Filed Feb. 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z ca m/W M04 FORD,

A TTORNE Y Jan. 8, 1935. w. MULFORD VAULT LIGHT, FLOOR LIGHT, OR SKYLIGHT Filed Feb. 20. 1931. L 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR: 1 06/7 WA/o; FORD,

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 8, 1935 ..3 Claims. (01.3471 2?) VAULTLIGHT; ELOOR- LIGH'IL iORJ SKYLIGHT. .LoganjWillard'Mulford, LongIslandlCityQN. LY; Application February '20, 1931, Serial No.' 517",144

heretoforvp'lace'don the markets it." has been the practice to surround the glass with-concrete or to use:aireinforcedficoncrete "frama or to use concretebetween the-metakshielde surrounding the ,glass. The presence of "concrete in devicesof the character here '.nnder 'discussion has been the :cause of icontinuousiitrouble from j leakage, breakage ofiglassnandexpense in upkeepdue to frequent replacementof: the broken glass. Cracks occur in' 'the tconcrete dueto vibration to"which -the .construction is subjecte'd, rand, leakage 'ocf'curs'idue': to these cracks *orito' the *non sticking of: the concrete? to metal faces" of the framework.

' The' expansionof' the concretecaused" the break- .age of the glass, and, in constructions whereinuthe jglasses were "not surrounded by metal, it "was necessary 'toie'mploy skilled; mechanics, to remove 'theg'old concrete and replace the'broken glass.

f'iIn' my cogpending application Serial No. r 463,- 95,5,I have described and claime'dta 'novelivault "light; ffloor. jlight or skylight which is fabricated from steel "bars in order to obtain greater strengthandcarrying capacity and thereby;elim-' :j.inate'fthe ;ne cesfsity of. employingieinforcing or carryin v. members as required with cast iron construction. In 7 my ,priorv applicationflthe steel .:bars, were connected to form lens receiving opentings and the websof the .barsgextendedup around the glassx to form shields. "The space between the glass and .the webs was filled in'with a water. proof vcushion, such as, for example; tar and sulphur compound. .In ,my prior application raioresaidjthe metal bars extended to and'iormed ,a parto fr-jthej treadsuriace.

In accordance wi'thmy present invention. the -web.is either entirely dispensed with oriis made comparatively ,a short =-.so'flthat itspfun'ction is to position and :align itherglassr as it is; placed in position, v

J '1With-.;the above. .in View, mypresent invention comprehendsa novel vault? light, fioorlight' or skylight. a a

-It [.fuither .icomprehends a novel Vault light, lfioornlightqor skylight wherein. a steel'jramework is proi ided-fon which the-,glassi rests andthe .space .between juxtaposedglasses'is filled .inWith a water prooilsealing compound which-secures them in place and which in some cases extends'beeath the glasses. a

"Other, .novel' features. of construction and ;ad- "vantage *viilhhereinafter "more clearly" appear 'in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For-the purpose of illustratingtheinvention I have'shown in the accompanying drawings typical embodiments-oi 'it, yvhich,'lin practice, vv'illggive freliable -and satisfa'ctory results! It is; however, :to be understood that" these, embodiments fare typical only and"thatftheivarious' instrumentalities of" which my invention"consistsican jbe ,vajriously arranged ;and* organized, and theginventidn is not limited -to"the precisefl arrangement jQaIid organization of thesefinstrurnent ties.

' Figure. 1 is a top plan" vievii o a; .metal.'f har 'framewoi'kfwhichimay be. einployedfin building the vault light; 'floorlieht '01; kylight ,enibddyin'g my'z'invention. v

, Figure? is a section on 1ine1I2- 2v of,',,Figur,e;1 w h t et l ssiinzplace j 1 *F FigureB' isia section on'line 33 f Figural.

Figuregi isa' p e,rpe,ct ive view of the'framework showing more clearly the rn,anner...in' which-the "metalbars interlock. v I} FigurefjB"isiatbottom plan view of ra,por,tion ,of ;the:construction. j Figured'is'atop planview of 'the embodinient "of'vault light,-'fioor"'lightror:sk lightseenfiin Fi 'urel.

V "Figure" 7 is a sectional elevation of another embodimentof myqi'nvention. i

. "Figure" 8 is a' sectional. elevationlofranothenem- 'bo'dimentl ofrmyainv e'ntion. 'Z" 1.]. 4

;:Fi ures '9, 10,?11, and 12,,are," espective1y, .sec xtionalJelevations oiother einbodiments of,my. in 'vention. A

' Similar numerals {of reference Lindicate corresponding partsgf Referring ".to the "drawings .Th s p o tin v a ewor v -th "floorli'ght orfslgyljght is' made' up crgrabricatm unetal bars consistingfof the. mainsupportingmsteel bars L1 to which, cross. bars. 2 are',applied to form support's'ffor the glassor lenses. I fIheJoai's'L'may formfi helmain suppo n barsandara mi i e with a lower central Web filterminatineQatjitS low- 'er end and in an enlarged base A...m'I he. .webv3 mer es i t f n es which exiend'laterally from the .bar near its upper endr'andv thefltopjfaces ,of

minim, v

suchjflanges .are. preferably: provided ,withLlongitudinally *extending'grooves or'tchann'els 'fi. Q'Ifhe web"3 extends sufficiently abovethe; toprvof'wthe flanges 5 to form'a ebJ'Y, the. functionpfwhich is tqeenterjthe glassp "'In a similar manner, thelharz iaprovided with bars 1, so that the top face of the side flanges 12 of the bars 2 and the top faces of the flanges 5 will form supports for the glass which is positioned and aligned by the webs 7 and 9 which surround each of such glasses. These webs do not extend in proximity to the tread surface as set forth in my prior application to which I have hereinbefore referred, but only sufficiently above their flanges to form centering means for the glasses or lenses. After the steel framework is completed, the glass or lenses 13 are placed in position, as shown in'Figures 2 and 3, so that the juxtaposed faces of adjoining glasses are in close relationship and a sealing compound 14 of tar and sulphur, or other desired type of water proof sealing compound isemployed to fill inthe space between the glassthroughout itsdepth' from the flanges on which it rests, to the tread surface.

In Figures 2 and 3, I have shown the side walls of ,the glass as recessed to form a lock with the sealing compound, bu tfI do not desire to be limited to this constructiomias, glass with straight sides can be employed, and any desired type of recesses in the side walls'of the glass may be used to form anchors of locks for the sealing compound. This sealing compound also fills the grooves or channels Band 8. v

In the embodiment seen in Figure 7, the same principle is involved as that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 except that the metal bars forming the framework are not provided with webs, such 51.5,"? and 9, seen in Figure 4, or with the channels in such bars, but the upper end 'of'the bars are in the form of T5 as shown at 15 and their glasses ,16 have their marginal bottom portions cut away so that they seat on top of the Ts 15.

It will be understood that in the form seen in Figure 7 the fabricated steel framework is employed similar to that shown in Figures 2 and 3, except for the construction of the upper ends of the metal barsand a different contour of glass is used; Juxtaposed glasses 16 are disposed in close proximity to each other and the space between is'fllled in with a sealing compound, such as, heated tar and sulphur 17. so that a water 'proof joint is formed between the glasses. Such sealing compound is sufliciently plastic to respond to pressure, so that it will completely fill the space between the edges of the adjacent glasses and make a waterproof joint and maintain the joint waterproof while at the same time providing an expansion joint. Being suitably plastic it causes no chipping of cracking pressure 'inits contact with the glass, as would be the case witha solid filler such as concrete or cement. With my joint of plastic material is doesnot bind with the metal structure to form a reinforced concrete combination, but such is not necessary in my invention because the fabricated metal structure provides in this combination the entire loadcarrying capacity.

p In the form seen in Figure 8, the steel bar construction has its upper end channeled as at 18, it being understood that both the longitudinally and laterally extending bars are channeled .to provide flanges 19 on the top of which the glass rests and is supported. The sealing compound 20 thespace between the glasses and extends intothe 'channels"l8 so that the sealing compound extends also beneath the glass to form a seal'around the glass and also between the glass and the metal bars on which it is supp rted.

' In theembodiment shown in Figure 9 the bars zland 22 are interconnected as in the other embodiments shown. The webs of the bars 22 have the curved flanges 23, the top faces of which form glass supporting surfaces. The webs of both sets of bars are extended upwardly as at 24 only sufliciently to form glass positioning means. The sealing compound extends between the glass and the webs into the channels formed by the curved flanges and beneath the glass. The sealing compound also extends to and forms a part of the tread surface and at such surface .completely fills in the space between juxtaposed glasses. Thus my construction exposes a narrow surface of plastic material to foot wear, and the tread of pedestrians feet tends to spread the plastic material, and compact or force it against the adjacent glass members, assuring a watertight seal and one which is continuously tamped into tightness. This is important in that it aids in keeping the joint tight even when expansion and contraction occur due to temperature.

In theembodiment seen in Figure 10, the metal bars are in the form" of a T as at 25 with a glass centering web 26.

In the embodiment seen in Figure 11, the metal bars are T shaped and the glass is carried by angles 27 resting on top of the metal bars.

In the embodiment seen in Figures 9, 10 and 11, the carrying bars have their webs of substantially uniform width throughout their depth.

In the embodiment seen in Figure 12 the carrying bars 28 have the glass positioning webs 29 and are provided with the flanges 30, on opposite sides of which, the glass is supported and. the

web's 31 are of varying thickness throughout their depth, being tapered from the bottom toward the flanges 30.

It will be apparent that the carrying bars and the cross bars can be of the same depth or they may 'beof different depths, the bars being cut so that they will interlock, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to any special arrangement for interlocking the bars, or any definite depth ofa bar, or a shape in cross section of such bars.

The space between the glass is, in. all cases,

filled in with a sealing compound, and, if desired,

this glass does not extend to and form a part of the tread surface. Rubber or other tread material may be employed on the top or tread surface between the glasses and still be within the spirit and scope of this invention. However, the sealing compound in such variations would underlie the rubber or other tread material, so that the plastic compound assures the watertight joints. Such other tread material may be conventional non-slipping tread material and may be inserted ,in a strip or other form, on top of the plastic material."

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful vault light, floor light or. skylight which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statementof the invention and the above description, and while I cated load carrying structure having two sets of r substantially parallel fabricated metal bars positioned at an angle whereby one set interlocks with the other, each bar having lateral ridges forming glass supporting means on all sides of the openings formed by the intersecting bars and having an upwardly projecting ridge or web centrally located on each bar extending above the lateral glass-supporting ridges, glass sections forming lenses of greater dimensions than the clear opening between the lateral ridges on the fabricated bars forming respective openings and having a greater thickness than the height of the centrally disposed webs of the loadcarrying structure bars, and permanently plastic materialforming an expansion joint between all of the adjacent glass edges flush with their upper surface and covering the upward projecting webs of the structural members.

2. A vault light or the like, having the entire a plurality of glasses or lenses supported over I apertures in the load-carrying structure and a permanently plastic compound filling the space between adjacent glass edges to form an expansion joint and a compressible tread entirely spanning the space between the edges of the exposed surfaces of the adjacent glasses.

LOGAN WILLARD MULFORD. 

